Moths of North Carolina
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57 NC Records

Rhopobota finitimana (Heinrich, 1923) - No Common Name


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Taxonomy
Superfamily: Tortricoidea Family: TortricidaeSubfamily: OlethreutinaeTribe: EucosminiP3 Number: 621190.00 MONA Number: 3278.00
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Gilligan et al. (2008)                                                                                  
Adult Markings: Rhopobota finitimana is similar in maculation to R. dietziana (see the detailed description under that species), except that is has a completely brown head and scape, and the basal and sub-basal fasciae are typically replaced or masked by a solid dark brown basal patch. Rhopobota finitimana also resembles Larisa subsolana, but does not have a complete median fascia and has a well-developed eyespot at the apex that is lacking in Larisa.
Forewing Length: 4.5-5.0 mm (Gilligan et al. (2008).
Adult Structural Features: Gilligan et al. (2008) provide illustrations of the male and female genitalia and note that the male cucullus is semitriangular, with an unusually long spine located on the medial surface just below the rounded apex. In addition, the lateral projections of the uncus are long, flattened, and of uniform width.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larvae mine the leaves of several species of holly and the mine characteristics vary depending on the host plant. Eiseman (2022) noted that when feeding on American Holly the mines tend to be long and narrow versus more compact when mining deciduous hollies. The silk-bound frass is extruded from a hole in the lower epidermis and usually at the leaf midrib. On deciduous hosts the frass bundle becomes a narrow, curved tube. The mines are frequently digitate or branching due to a feeding larva pausing to dispose of frass, then returning to a different location in the mine to resume feeding. The older larvae abandon their mines and feed in leaf shelters that are constructed by either crumpling one leaf or tying two leaves together. A pupal case is sometimes made by cutting one or two small arcs in a leaf to form a flap in which the larva spins its cocoon Eiseman, 2022).

Ken Kneidel recently reared two adults from mines on American Holly. When using this species the larvae live in linear mines that begin at the midrib and develop numerous lateral branches that make them strongly digitate. Frass is expelled at an opening near the midrib. Larvae that were maintained in captivity eventually evacuated the mines and pupated within a silk covering that was constructed in folds of leaves, on paper tissue, or on a plastic bag. The adults emerged in less than two weeks after pupating when kept at room temperature. Populations that use American Holly probably also use a portion of a folded leaf to pupate, but field observations are needed to confirm this.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Rhopobota finitimana is found in eastern North America, with the range including portions of southern Canada (Ontario eastward to Prince Edward Island) and much of the eastern US from Maine southward to northern Florida and westward to eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Indiana. It occurs statewide in North Carolina, from lower elevation sites in the Blue Ridge to coastal maritime forests in the east.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: The adults mostly fly from March through September in different areas of the range, with the greatest activity from April through July. Populations in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina appear to be at least bivoltine, with the larvae overwintering in the leaves. As of 2022, the adults have been observed in the Coastal Plain during most months of the year except for the hottest summer months.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Local populations are most commonly found in bottomland and mesic forests, particularly those with stands of American Holly.
Larval Host Plants: The larvae typically feed on native holly species (Forbes, 1923; Heinrich, 1923; Brown et al., 2008; Lam et al., 2011; Eiseman, 2022). The known hosts include Possumhaw Holly (Ilex decidua), Mountain Holly (I. mucronata), American Holly (I. opaca), Common Winterberry (I. verticillata), and Yaupon Holly (I. vomitoria). In North Carolina, the adults has been reared on I. decidua (T. Feldman, BugGuide, accessed 2019-12-30) and I. opaca. Prentice (1966) reported one instance of an individual using Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera) and Robinson et al. (2010) reported Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) as a host. - View
Observation Methods: The adults are attracted to lights and the digitate mines are commonly seen on American Holly and other hollies.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Holly Thickets
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3S4
State Protection:
Comments: This species occurs throughout the state and can be locally common where the host plants are present.

 Photo Gallery for Rhopobota finitimana - No common name

70 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: David George on 2024-03-24
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Becky Watkins on 2024-03-03
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-02-26
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Becky Watkins on 2023-11-05
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-11-04
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields on 2023-10-17
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David George on 2023-05-15
Alamance Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Becky Watkins on 2023-04-02
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-03-22
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-03-19
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-03-19
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-03-08
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-03-08
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-03-07
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-03-07
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-06-05
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-31
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-05-23
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-05-23
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-05-23
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-04-29
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-04-29
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: A pupa from a larvae that emerged from a mine on American Holly. See companion photo of the adult that emerged on 2022-04-29.
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2022-04-29
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: One of two adults that were reared from a group of mines on American Holly. Mines were collected on 2021-12-22; pupa on 2022-04-18; adult on 2022-04-29. See companion photo of one of the mines from 2021-12-22.		Recorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-04-25
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-03-19
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-03-18
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-03-08
Cherokee Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-03-02
Halifax Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-03-02
Halifax Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman on 2022-02-18
Carteret Co.
Comment: